Ripon College Diver Mary Grace Elliott Dies in a Motorcycle Crash, Aged 22

Ripon College diver Mary Grace Elliott died on May 6 in a motorcycle crash in Montpelier, Wisconsin. She was 22 years old.

Elliott, a native of Bayside, Wisconsin, and her boyfriend Jesse Morales Hernandez died when the motorcycle Hernandez was driving crashed. According to the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to reports of a two vehicle accident at 10:25 PM. Initial reports say that the motorcycle crashed with a pickup truck after stopping at an intersection.

Both Elliott and Hernandez were declared dead at the scene.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.

“Mary Elliott was one of the most supportive and selfless teammates I’ve ever had the honor of coaching,” her coach Grace Carlson said in a statement. “She lifted up everyone around her with her kindness, encouragement, and unwavering team spirit, and her impact on this team will be felt forever.”

A memorial to Elliott was set up on campus and counseling services were provided to members of the student body.

At Dominican High School, she was a multi-sport athlete, participating in basketball, volleyball, softball, dance and cheer, and soccer. She only began soccer as a sophomore in high school but wound up earning all conference honors as a senior before also playing on the Ripon soccer team as a freshman and sophomore.

In addition to her school sports, she was also a competitive gymnast.

A multi-talented student, Ripon sang the national anthem before one of her high school team’s State Basketball tournament games.

At Ripon College, Elliott finished as high as 7th on 1-meter at the 2025 Midwest Conference Championships meet.

A visitation is scheduled for Friday, May 29, from 4PM to 7PM at Feerick Funeral Home in Shorewood, Wisconsin. A second visitation is scheduled for Saturday, May 30, from 10AM to 11AM at St. Eugene Congregation in Fox Point, Wisconsin.

She will graduate posthumously on May 17, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Ripon College Swim and Dive Team.

Please mail donations to Ripon College Office of Advancement, P.O. Box 248, Ripon, WI 54971 or make your gift online at https://ripon.edu/about/support/give/ and note it as a tribute gift in memory of Mary Elliott ’26.

Dominican High School Athletics in loving memory of Mary Grace. Gifts will benefit the women’s volleyball, basketball, and soccer programs, reflecting the joy, dedication, faith, and compassion she brought to Dominican. Her legacy will live on through the young women whose lives will be touched by the programs she loved so deeply.

St Eugene Annual Fund, online at www.steugene.school (“Support Our School”) or by check to St Eugene School, 7600 N Port Washington Road, Fox Point, WI 53217.

Ripon College is an NCAA Division III school in Ripon, Wisconsin.